Walden Galleria hosting security lockdown drill today

Walden Galleria is hosting a lockdown drill this morning, according to information from the shopping mall.

The drill, which a representative of the Galleria said is an effort to be proactive in the shopping center’s safety and security, was scheduled for 10:15 a.m.

The drill was described as a precautionary measure made by the mall’s security team and the Cheektowaga Police Department in order to equip employees with proper training in the case of an emergency.

Lockdown drills are run regularly each quarter to establish a basis for procedure in the case of a crisis.

“Open lines of communication between Walden Galleria’s Security Department, Cheektowaga Police Department and employees are imperative to properly prepare all parties, should an emergency occur,” Marissa Romano, marketing director for the mall, said in an email.

Romano said that by hosting quarterly drills, the parties involved are familiarized with the actions to take during an event.

The drill was scheduled for open mall hours in order to emulate a realistic situation for employees, security and police.

Walden Galleria’s security team works closely with the Cheektowaga Police Department on a number of measures to ensure safety and protection for all mall employees and patrons, the email said.

In 2015, Walden Galleria Security and Cheektowaga Police Department established a method to indicate threat levels at each individual store within the mall and will continue to use the method.